Can opener



July 29, 1941. PQHLE 2,251,200

CAN OPENER Filed May 23, 1940 Herman Pokie I atenter] July 29, 1941STATES ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel construction of can opener capable ofbeing easily operated for cutting out an end of a can, close to the rimthereof and to leave a smooth edge adjacent said rim; and a can openerlikewise adapted for forming a. triangular opening for liquid containingcans for pouring out the contents thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a can opener which isconstructed from one piece of material without moving parts and toprovide a tool which will be sturdy and durable and which may beeconomically manufactured and sold; which may be formed as a part of ablade of a pocket knife for camping, traveling .and other similar uses;which eliminates the punching of a hole in the can before manipulationof the opener; which could be used for partially opening a can forstraining off the liquid content thereof before finally opening the canfor removing the solid content thereof; which may be operated with lesseffort and with less danger of injuring the operator due to the openerslipping;

and which makes the starting hole and the first cutting stroke in a. canat the first operation of the opener.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, whichillustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein;

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the opener applied to a can, andin the first stages of its first cutting stroke,

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the positionof the opener at the completion of the first cutting stroke,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the opener applied toa can in completing the first stroke for forming a pouring opening,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a can in which the pouring opening hasbeen formed,

Figure 5 is a plan view of one 'side of the opener,

Figure 6 is an edge view in elevation looking toward the bottom edge ofthe opener, and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan view of the opposite side of the opener.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views, l0 designates generally a conventional cylindricalwalled can having outwardly projecting headings l I at the ends of itscylindrical wall where said ends are connected to the top and bottom orends I 2 of the can.

The can It) is shown merely to illustrate the application and use of theopener, designated generally l3 which is formed from a single bar ofmetal which is relatively wide, as best seen in Figure 5, and relativelythin, as best seen in Figure 6. The bar from which the opener I3 isformed includes the sides l4 and I5, and the longitudinal edges l8 andH. The opener l3, at one end thereof is provided with an extension l8,contiguous with its upper edge l6 and which is preferably formed as apart of the bar. The edge l6 forms the upper edge of the extension l8and is curved downwardly at the forward, free end thereof to form theoutwardly and downwardly extending edge I9. The side M of the extensionI8 is provided with a. bevel portion 20 which tapers toward its ends andwhich forms the cutting edge 2| which is bowed upwardly, longitudinallythereof, to form the tapered pointed end 22 at the forward end of thecutting edge 2| and a point 23 at the rear end thereof. As best seen inFigure 5, the pointed end 22 extends substantially below the plane ofthe pointed end 23, for a purpose which will hereinafter. becomeapparent.

Referring to- Figure 7, the side l5 of the extension l8 is-provided witha beveled portion 24 which tapers from the inner end of the extension l8toward the intermediate portion thereof and from its cutting edge 2|upwardly. The side l5 of the extension I8 is also provided with abeveled portion 25 at its outer, free end which tapers from its pointedend 22 upwardly and inwardly toward the beveled portion 24. The beveledportions 24 and 25 combine with the beveled portion 20 to form thecutting edge 2| which is bowed longitudinally "toward the side l5, asbest seen in Figure 6, with its pointed ends 22 and 23 disposed adjacentto the side I. The beveled portion 25 also combines with the forward endof the beveled portion 20 to form the forward and tapered pointed end22.

The opener I3 is provided with a cut-out portion 26 behind the cuttingedge 2| and the bottom edge I! is curved upwardly at its forward end tocombine with the cut-out portion 26 to form the upwardly and forwardlyextending tapered hook portion 21 which terminates behind and beneaththe pointed end 23 to form an opening 28 therebetween which communicateswith the cut-out portion 26. The hook shaped portion 21 on its side I4and on the outer edge of its free end isprovided with a beveled portion29 which offsets the free end of the hook shaped portion 21 from thepointed end 23, as best seen in Figure 6, for a purpose which willhereinafter become apparent. The opener l3, adjacent its opposite end,which forms its handle, is provided with an elongated slot 30 by meansof which the opener may be hung up on a nail or hook, not shown, whennot in use.

The opener l3 may be used, as illustratedvin Figures 1 and 2 for cuttingout an end |2 of the cam In by grasping the handle end of the opener I3,as illustrated in Figure 1, and twisting the. opener so that its end I5is facing upwardly, at", substantially an oblique angle. In thisposition the opener isdisposed so that the rim ll contiguous with theend to be removed, can be passed through a space 28 and into the cut-outportion 25 after which the opener I3 is again twisted to a verticalplane with the edge l6 thereof uppermost, as seen in Figure 1, to bringthe hook portion 21 into engagement with the under side of the outwardlyflared rim II. The

extension I8 is then swung until its points 22 and 23 engage against theinner side of the rim II and with the said rim contacting the portions24 and 25. In this position, an upward swing on the outer or handle end,of the can opener I3, will cause the opener to swing as a lever with thehook portion 21 forming the fulcrum or pivot point by engagement withthe underand outer side of the rim ll. As the handle end of the openerI3 is swung upwardly the extension l8 will be swung downwardly to causethe tapered pointed end 22 to first pierce the can, after which thecutting edge 2! will make a cut in the can along the inner sideof therim to the point 23. The opener I3 is then swung in the oppositedirection to raise the extension l8 after which it is slid along the rimll until the pointed end 22 can contact the rear end of the out, notshown, previously made. The cutting stroke is thus repeated until theentire end I2 is severed. The lateral curve of the cutting edge 2|substantially conforms to the curve of the rim H and leaves a smooth cutedge on the inner side of the rim II when the end l2 thereof has beenremoved. The, pointed end 23 being disposed against the inner side ofthe rim 1 I, during the cutting stroke, prevents the hook portion 21from moving outwardly relatively to the can l0. and thereby out ofengagement with the rim Ii. The beveled portion 24, and'the beveledportion 29, being disposed on opposite sides of the opener l3, offsetthe hook shaped portion 2! relatively to the pointed end 23 so that thepontion 21- may engage beneath the rim on the outer side of. the can l0when the side of the pointed end 23, formed by the beveled portion 24,is in flush engagement with the inner side of the rim II.

The opener I3 is also adapted to form a triangular cut for liquidcontaining cans by similarly applying the opener to the can In, exceptthat its extension l8 extends inwardly toward the center thereof. Adownward movement on the extension end l8 of the opener I3, when thuspositioned. will form a cut, as shown at 31, in Figure 4 after which theopener I3 is slid a short distance along the rim II and another similarcut 32 is then made which is begun with the pointed end 22 beginning thecut 32 at the inner end of the cut 3|. As the second cut 32 is executedthe triangular shaped portion 33 will be bent downwardly against theinner side of the cylindrical wall of the can to form a triangularopening from which liquid contents of the can may be poured. It willthus be seen that the opener I3 is adapted for opening beveragecontaining cans as well as for opening cans containing food.

Various modifications and changes are con templated and may obviously beresorted to as only a preferred embodiment of the invention has beendisclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1'. A tool of the character described comprising a relatively thin flatmetal bar, an integral extension at one end of said bar contiguous withthe upper edge thereof, thebottom edge of said extension being beveledon one slde'thereof with the bevel diminishing toward the ends of theextension to form a laterally bowed cutting edge, said cutting edgebeing bowed upwardly and longitudinally to form depending points at theends thereof, and a hook shaped portion projecting upwardly from theopposite edge of the corresponding end of said bar and terminatingbeneath the inner pointed end of said cutting edge, said bar beingprovided with a cut-out portion disposed behind said hook shaped memberand the inner pointed end of said cutting edge and opening outwardly ofthe space therebetween, said bar and extension being disposed insubstantially the same plane.

2, A can opener comprising a substantially wide relatively thin flat barhaving an extension at one end thereof and at its upper edge, the underside of said extension being beveled on one side thereof to form acutting edge, said cutting edge having depending tapered pointed ends,and a curved hook shaped portion projecting from the bottom edge and thecorresponding end of said bar and projecting upwardly toward the innerpointed end of said cutting edge, said hook shaped portion and the innerend of said cutting edge combining to form a space therebetween and arecess portion therewithin, said extension, at the side opposite theside provided with said bevel being beveled toward the ends of thecutting edge, and the first mentioned beveled portion being tapered tothe pointed ends of the cutting edge to combine with said last mentionedbeveled portion to form a laterally bowed cutting edge.

3. A can opener comprising a handle pontion having a substantially flatand relatively wide blade at one end thereof, said blade being providedwith an extension at its upper edge, the bottom edge of said extensionbeing beveled on one side thereof to form a cutting edge, the bevel ofsaid cutting edge tapering toward its ends, the opposite side of saidextension being beveled adjacent the ends of said cutting edge, saidlast mentioned bevel portions tapering toward the intermediate portionof the cutting edge, and said cutting edge being arcuately shapedlongitudinally and being provided with depending tapered ends, theforward tapered end extending below the plane of the rearward taperedend and being tapered to form a curvedpoint, and a curved hook shapedportion projecting upwardly toward the rearward tapered end of saidcutting edge and terminating beneath and behind said end.

4. A can opener as in claim 3, said hook shaped portion being providedwith a bevel portion at its free end and on one side thereof, said lastmentioned bevel portion being disposed obliquely to the plane of saidextension and on the side thereof opposite to the side of the extensionprovided with the second mentioned beveled portions for offsetting therearward end of the cutting edge relatively to the hook shaped portion.

HERMAN POHLE.

